Power Tussle: NUJ Correspondents Chapel Chairman Resigns

The embattled chairman, correspondents chapel of Zamfara State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Umar Mohammed Maradun of the Leadership Newspaper has finally resigned following internal crisis that has been rocking the chapel.

The crisis started when members accused the chairman of lack of transparent, lack of accountability, corruption amongst others that led to his impeachment.

According to reports that during the crisis, the Special Adviser to the Governor, Comrade Zailani Bappa, intervened to end the crisis but the members insisted that the chairman must be impeached.

However, Maradun was impeached and Salisu Maradun of the Authority Newspaper became the chairman on acting capacity with Comrade Sani Duseman of the Radio Nigeria as the Vice Chairman.

But after the impeachment, Umar Maradun, after several consultations with stakeholders, submitted his letter of resignation, which most of the members described the resignation as medicine after death.

It could be recalled that the embattled chairman was impeached by 18 members out of 25 members of the chapel.

However, members said that Maradun’s resignation letter would be discussed after the new executive members are sworn in on Tuesday, June 16, 2020.

In another story, the National President, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Chris Isiguzo, has called on the federal government to recognize journalists as front liners in the fight against COVID-19 by paying them hazard allowance and other benefits given to their counterparts in health and security sectors, without delay.

Isiguzo reiterated the call in Abuja when the journalists’ body received 1000 bags of rice and 500 face masks from Baywood Foundation.

He said: “I want to use this opportunity to reiterate the call we made earlier that it has become very imperative for government to do the needful by addressing the issue of poor remuneration as well as hazard allowance for journalists.”